4 frustrations when establishing your own business

Remember I wrote the article on how not to let your mind explode while establishing your own company? I mentioned that it was to be a four-part series. As promised, this one deals with the frustrations I’ve encountered and often still do.

1. Websites and Web developers

I believe that I can relieve a small nation of their national debt with all the money I’ve spent on Web developers. If I remember correctly, I’ve tried five of them!

My point is: Be prepared for frustration. I had two websites, and no, not because I’m so important, but because the scope of my company has changed. The result was more frustration with having the site published, gaining an internet presence, and here we go again.

2. Google

It seems to me that without Google, humanity might experience a soupçon* of agony. Did you know that it has transformed into a verb as well? Now that’s having ‘arrived’ if you ask me. And remember, if Google can’t find you, nobody will. Your company might not even exist for that matter.

It took me about a year to figure this out, to understand how The Thing works and then to realize that It obsessively changes Its algorithms.

3. Social media

I should probably have started with this frustration. Do you have ANY idea how many platforms there are? It’s nauseating. And the entire world clamours for attention. ‘Does inconsequential me have any prospects of being seen/recognized/read/gain attention?’

I have a list of all the platforms where the company has a presence because it’s becoming ridiculous how many there are. (And all to satisfy the Google-beast.)

So remember now: you like on Facebook, you follow on Twitter, you connect on LinkedIn, you pin on Pinterest, and I can’t remember now what you do with Instagram or Google+.

I trust that my problem is clear.

4. Uncapped ADSL, expenses, etc.

During the last two years, money have* been growing feet and walked out my front door. Promise.

My uncapped ADSL shouldn’t be mentioned here; best decision I’ve made in the recent past. Between Telkom, MWeb, and of course my host, my problems have been negligible.

So between continued education, running expenses, a bit of wine, design, and books…it’s constant toil.

But man am I having fun!

*Quick French lesson

Soupçon means a dash, a bit, a tad, etc.

You will notice the ‘ç’ symbol; it’s called a cédille or in English ‘cedilla’. It shows that the ‘c’ should be pronounced as an ‘s’ and not a ‘k’.

If you are interested in the influence that French had, and has, on English, Emeritus Professor Antoinette Renouf of English Language and Linguistics at the Birmingham City University wrote a (long) article as a contribution to a book on the subject of Gallicisms; Shall we Hors-d’Oeuvres? Uses and Misuses of Gallicisms in English.

*Quick English lesson

Uncountable nouns (like ‘money’) fall into one of the following categories:

substance – air, wood, water, gold;

feeling – love, happiness, fear;

quality/characteristic – patience, strength, beauty, kindness;

activity – soccer, karate, chess; and

idea – democracy, freedom, peace.

Unaccountable nouns only have the plural form and are not used with a/an or numbers.

I have written a post about uncountable nouns after a colleague of mine pointed out that this description is not entirely accurate.